Corrosion and hydrogen embrittlement of the 2024 aircraft aluminium alloy

The present work aims to provide a better understanding of the effects of corrosion and the associated corrosion-induced hydrogen embrittlement on the mechanical behaviour of the 2024 aircraft aluminium alloy. Evidence is provided of the corrosion-induced hydrogen embrittlement of the material and the tensile, fatigue and damage tolerance behaviour of precorroded specimens are discussed under the viewpoint of a synergistic effect of corrosion and corrosion-induced hydrogen embrittlement. The results presented rely on an extensive experimental investigation involving mechanical testing, metallographic and fractographic analyses as well as measurements of the hydrogen uptake during the corrosion process.